SAINT VINCENT, WILLIAM SMITH LAND IN TOP 10 IN NTCA D II/III PRESEASON POLL

The National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) announced its top 10 Division II/III preseason ranking on Tuesday, and the AMCC saw two schools make the list. Saint Vincent College earned the No. 6 ranking, while William Smith College came in at No. 7.

The No. 6 spot marks the highest-ever ranking in the poll for coach Jeff Zidek's Bearcats, who were ranked No. 9 in the NTCA's final D-II/III poll in April. Saint Vincent earned the second-highest ranking among Division III schools in the poll, behind only No. 4 Wisconsin-Whitewater.

The Bearcats are coming off of another successful season, posting a 64-14 overall record in 2023-24, including an 18-2 mark in AMCC play. The team's .821 overall winning percentage led the nation.
 
The Bearcats will return four AMCC all-conference honorees in 2024-25, including senior Sabine Strickland, junior Abby Justice, and sophomores Daphne Stuber, and Skyy Nichols. 

The William Smith bowling team will begin its third varsity season ranked No. 7 in the NTCA Division II/Division III preseason poll.
 
The Herons are coming off a 2023-24 campaign that saw them post a 50-23 record, win a share of the AMCC regular season title and capture the AMCC tournament championship. William Smith earned a berth in the 2024 NCAA Collegiate Bowling Championship, defeating Fayetteville State in the first round before falling to No. 2 Arkansas State and No. 4 Vanderbilt.
 
Head Coach Heather Sterner returns for her third season with the Herons. She welcomes back five players from last year's squad, including AMCC Bowler of the Year Michaela Morgan and NTCA Division III Rookie of the Year Colleen Jump.
 
Seven of the top 10 in the poll are Division II teams.
 
Saint Vincent and William Smith are also both receiving votes in the NTCA preseason top 25, which covers all three divisions of NCAA bowling.